healthcare_sanity

This month, fear mongers, political types, informed & ill-informed common citizens, and everyone else in between can be found passionately debating one of the most important issues of our time: Health Care Reform.

The thought provoking episode of Larry King Live presented above is titled, "Health Care Reform Facts!"   The discussion panel, hosted by Wolf Blitzer (sitting in for Larry), attempts to bring sanity and truth to the debate.  Guests include:

• Dr. Sanjay Gupta, practicing neurosurgeon and CNN chief medical correspondent.
• Dr. Bill Frist, heart transplant surgeon and former Senate Majority Leader.
• Dr. Michael Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.
• Dr. J. James Rohack, Chairman of the American Medical Association

Also joining the conversation is famed physician, Dr. Andrew Weil, of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine.

7min, 30sec into the discussion, Dr. Andrew Weil hits the nail on the head by bringing to the surface the fact that unless the content of health care is changed, costs will continue to escalate.  According to Weil, to change the content of healthcare, physicians must be trained to use low tech, low cost and effective alternative / natural treatments.

15min, 45sec into the interview, Dr. Roizen further drives Andrew Weil’s point home by adding the issue of  personal responsibility, and lifestyle changes.  He points out that if people make healthier choices in food and are encouraged to engage in physical activity as well as better stress management, medical costs are dramatically reduced.  For sixteen years the Wellness Center at the Cleveland Institute has proven that just by making simple lifestyle changes the cost and incidence of chronic disease decreased 80-90%.

To "turn off the faucet of chronic disease" it appears we must take control of our own individual health and well being.  The buck stops here.  Comments welcome.